Thursday, 4 June 2015

… testimony to the
success of the ‘people- and investor-friendly’ approach applied by Dato’ Sri
DiRaja Adnan since helming the state in 1999.

“… we are damn
bloody serious about this,” he warned, with regards to the many strict regulations
that the State Government have recently introduced to tackle the menacing
mining and transportation of iron ore and bauxite.

BASF-PETRONAS
PLANT, GEBENG INDUSTRIAL AREA, KUANTAN – Pahang has now attracted an average investment
worth RM2 billion annually as proudly announced at a function here this
morning.

This
is clear testimony to the continuous and successful application of the ‘people-
and investor-friendly’ approach that Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan undertook since
spearheading the State Government as the Chief Minister in 1999.

“When I took
over, with the grace of Allah the Almighty – as the Chief Minister in 1999, I
did say that the State Government under my stewardship, will emphasise on two
things. Number 1 to be ‘people-friendly’, and Number 2, to be ‘business-friendly’.

“Because, I am
fully aware that, without economic activities (by being ‘business- or ‘investor-friendly’),
Pahang will not be a good place for the people to live in,” Dato’ Sri
DiRaja Adnan said on Thursday morning, June 4 at the ground breaking ceremony
of the 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid(2-EHAcid)
Plant.

Apart
from the RM2 billion figure, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan also mentioned a figure of RM20 billion that is about to flow into Pahang within this three-year
period between 2013 and at the end of this year (2015).

PENNING DOWN HIS SIGNATURE ON THE PLAQUE...

WHAT WOULD BE OF
KUANTAN IF WITHOUT GEBENG I.A…

With
these steady inflow of investments, he added, also proves that the State
Government has succeeded in projecting the state as as a very conducive place for
investors – be they local or foreign, to invest in.

“… when the
investments do come, Pahang State Government can say to the people that ‘there
you are, at least there will be opportunities for you all either to be employed
or to take part in the other fields of economic activities’,” Dato’ Sri
DiRaja Adnan said.

He
added that the State Government always welcome the coming in of investments into
the state as with these created many spin-off effects that benefited not only
the state but more importantly, the people in general.

“You (just) can’t
imagine the State of Pahang especially Kuantan, without this Gebeng Industrial
Area that has so far provided 12,000 employment opportunities to the people of
Pahang.

“12,000 (employees)
X 4 – that’s the number of dependant of one employee; that comes to about 48,000
(people). Thus, the Gebeng Industrial Area alone provides ‘bread and butter’
for at least 48,000 people in Kuantan,” he added.

IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, SINCE 1999... Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan behind the rostrum, delivering his 12-minute off-the-cuff speech, among others recalling his very first media statement after assuming the Chief Ministership on May 25, 1999 of his administration's 'people- and investor-friendly' approach.

NOT BELIEVING
THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS

He
also said that he for one, do not believe so much on those economic indicators
such as unemployment rate and per kapita income; to signify the whole economic
situation of a particular state or country.

“What is
important is the things that you can see. If you go to Kuantan, you can see the
various hive of activities – the coffeehouses (are patronized daily), hotels
are fully booked… All are very active which shows that, the economic situation
is fairly good,”
he insisted.

In
his 12-minute off-the-cuff speech, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan also highlighted the State Government’s not-so-happy encounter with the menacing mining and
transportation operators of iron ore and bauxite especially in this district of
Kuantan.

“I specifically
took charge and chaired two (2) meetings – one in January, one in April and
after that, last week, we had another meeting,” he said.

“Now we are damn
bloody serious about this, to contain this problem. And, we have come out with
a list of regulations that need to be followed. In three weeks time, you can
see some improvements.

THE HIGHLY ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE... The bigwigs and officials of Petronas and BASF-Petronas are giving full attention to what being delivered by the Chief Minister.

THE 2-EHACID PLANT
TO START COMMISSION IN LATE 2016

“And hopefully
after 31st August, there will be no more illegal mining activities and
also to see changes in the attitude of some of the transport operators (of
these minerals),”
he assured .

Besides
the 24-hour roadblocks manned by the integrated enforcement officers from the
Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD), Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ)
and the Police at the various locations leading to the Kuantan Port;

A
team especially from the state’s Pejabat Pengarah Tanah dan Galian (PTG) he
added, will go to the existing illegal mining areas to seal off the area and also
machineries that involve in the illegal activities.

This
2-EHAcid plant with a total annual capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes of 2-EHAcid –
a chemical intermediate used as a compound for example in the production of
synthetic lubricants as well as oil additives; is expected to be commissioned
in the 4th quarter of 2016. – Khabar